Luka Dončić averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists over 28 games with L.A. last season.
Luka Doncic has agreed to a reported three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, bypassing a chance at free agency next summer to build a long-term future with his new team.
The deal keeps Doncic with Los Angeles through 2028. The Slovenian superstar had a player option for the 2026-27 season under his previous contract.
“Excited to keep working to bring championships to LA and make Laker Nation proud,” Doncic wrote on social media. “Grateful to the Lakers, my teammates and all the fans who’ve shown so much love since day one. This is just the beginning.”
“Today is a monumental moment for our franchise. Luka Dončić’s future is with the Los Angeles Lakers,” said Lakers President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka in a statement. “Luka is one of the game’s most transcendent players, and his on-court dominance and passion is without compare. From the moment Luka became a Laker, there was an immediate connection and admiration between Luka and our fanbase. You can feel it in your spirit when you attend a Lakers game.
The Lakers acquired Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks last February in a seismic trade for Anthony Davis. The five-time All-NBA selection and a five-time All-Star averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game last season while teaming up with LeBron James for 50 victories and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Los Angeles lost to Minnesota in the first round, but Doncic enjoyed his first months in Hollywood enough to commit to the Lakers. He will return this fall alongside James, who will begin his unprecedented 23rd NBA season.
Doncic’s growing comfort with the Lakers was already obvious in his offseason activity. He played a significant role in Los Angeles’ successful bids to sign Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart, persuading the two veterans to team up for the upcoming season.
Doncic’s extensive regimen of offseason conditioning work has also been well-documented after the Mavericks’ questions about his physical commitment to the sport reportedly played a role in his shocking departure from Dallas.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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